Set Up
by UnbrokenSilences
Summary: Max is, against her will, convinced to go to the beach in a freaking bikini. In spite of the fact that the beach is "almost deserted"...there's more that meets the mutant's eye. And is the rest of the flock and Dr. Martinez involved in the set up? R&R!
1. Hitting on my best friend, oh crap

"Oh, _please_, Max?"

I refused to turn my head. Ella and Nudge were both giving me Bambi eyes, their gazes boring into the back of my head. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling the silky garment in my hands again.

"I am _not_ going to wear a bikini!" I loudly exclaimed for the umpteenth time. "Jeez, I have _wings_, FYI!"

"No one will be at the beach," Ella coaxed. "And you can keep your windbreaker on."

"But why a _bikini_?" I groaned. "Unlike you, I'm a _prude_. People experimenting on me has gotten me a little self-conscious, thank you very much."

Ella made a little exasperated noise. "Max, you are a girl. And you have a nice figure. And you _deserve_ to be noticed, not as a freak, for once!"

"Are the boys coming?" I finally said in a brusque tone.

"No," Nudge instantly responded. "Does that mean..."

"Oh, fine."

"YAY!" Nudge and Ella cheered, and then darted out of the room, calling, "Hurry up and get changed. The guys are going to the movies...we'll be free to go to the beach and shop the entire afternoon!"

I groaned.

* * *

I stepped out of my room ten minutes later, feeling extremely self-conscious. I had pulled on a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt, but I still felt as though eyes were staring at me everywhere I went.

Nudge and Ella had compiled a huge pile of stuff which they were transferring into a beach bag. "Come on, let's go," Nudge seemed antsy.

"Wait, where's Angel?" I asked.

"I sent her to a little-kids playground," my mom said, stepping in the kitchen with her car keys. "Ella, are you finished?"

"I'm done!" Ella announced, slinging the bag over her tanned shoulder.

"Let's go!" Nudge said eagerly as we piled into my mom's car. Somehow, I knew this was _not_ going to end well as Nudge and Ella started off singing something by Jesse McCartney...I decided to take a nap. It was a fifteen minute car ride anyways...

* * *

"Max. Wake up."

I groaned and moved my head. My mom's brown eyes peered back right into mine. "Ella and Nudge already went ahead to the beach a few minutes ago. I let you sleep a little longer." I glanced at the car clock. It read: 1:47 p.m.

She handed me a bottle. "Get some sunblock on."

I stripped of my jeans, windbreaker and tee-shirt to get it on, and when I reached for them again, they were gone. My mom smiled evilly at me. "Go on ahead and have a good time, Max."

"MOM!" I shrieked angrily as she shoved me out of the car, handing me my windbreaker on the way out.

* * *

I caught up with Nudge and Ella whispering on a rainbow-colored picnic blanket, a red umbrella shading them.

"Hey, Max. OMG!" Nudge exclaimed, causing Ella to whip around and stare.

"You look..."

"AMAZING!"

"You look like you're at least..."

"SIXTEEN!"

"Wait till Fang sees y—oh, crap."

I had been looking away, embarrassed, when I heard the words 'Fang' and 'oh, crap'. I slowly turned back to them, narrowing my eyes. "What about Fang?"

"Nothing," Nudge smoothly responded, tossing me a pair of sunglasses which I slid on. "We were just saying how he was totally missing out."

I arched my eyebrow and caught my reflection in the turquoise water.

Holy shit.

A girl with wavy brown hair stared back at me, her glasses glinting. Her body had _curves_, for crying out loud, and the way she held herself was...well...

_Hot_.

"Come on, Max, sit down!" Ella yanked my hand and I found myself tumbling onto the blanket. "We were doing a Zac Efron vs. Robert Pattinson debate..."

I zoned out immediately when Nudge caught site of my bored expression. "Let's take a walk," she said. "Your windbreaker's on...good."

I scanned around the beach. Thankfully, only a handful of people were there, and they were on the complete opposite side of the beach. Nudge helped me to my feet and Ella came as well. We began sauntering along the hot, fine, white sand.

Nudge and Ella began talking again, and I kept my gaze fixed in front of us, doing an automatic paranoia-induced 360 scan of the area around us...

* * *

_Fang's POV_

"Hey, Fang."

Nudge had come into my room early that morning, her eyes glinting devilishly. "Today Dr. Martinez is off from work, so we're free to chillax!"

"That's great," I raised my eyebrows.

"So anyways, she thinks that it would be great if you could come to the beach," Nudge continued. "She'll drive you there around two o' clock."

"Just me?"

"No. You, Iggy, and Gazzy. Max, Ella, and I are going shopping. Well, Ella and I are at least. Max will probably just hang around, but I'm going to force her to get some new—"

"Okay, okay, okay!" I rolled my eyes and stepped out into the kitchen.

* * *

At two o' clock, Dr. Martinez had us on the way. We got there at two fifteen, Iggy grumbling about having to put on sunblock, and that no 'beach bunnies' would be there because it was a work day (Dr. Martinez took the day off).

Not many people were on the beach. Only three girls walking back to a bright red umbrella and rainbow-colored picnic blanket and some college-aged dudes skipping out on class on the west side of the beach.

As we got nearer to the girls, my heart rate sped up. Under my breath, I hissed to Iggy, "Three beach bunnies, on the way."

"No freaking really?" Iggy said excitedly. "Where? Where?"

"Ten o' clock."

As they approached, my gaze focused upon the one on the left, the brunette that looked exceedingly bored.

The brunette had long, wavy brown hair that cascaded down her back. She had sunglasses, a tanned face, and long, _long_, muscular legs. Her body was perfectly proportioned in a white bikini that popped against her skin, and she walked with confidence and grace. Even though she was mysteriously wearing a _windbreaker_ in the freakin' _fall_! Which meant _summer weather_, for those of you non-California freaks (Dr. Martinez moved to California for some vet opportunity, and we decided to drop a "visit".)

Well, me, Iggy, and Gazzy had to wear windbreakers as well...but that's cause with have _wings_. And no girl this gorgeous had wings. Except Max. And she was shopping.

The smallest girl also had a windbreaker on too, surprisingly. Only the one in the middle didn't, but she didn't look nearly as good.

Quickly, I described them to Iggy, who drew in a breath. Gazzy looked confused at us. Ah, poor kid.

"Hey Fang," Gazzy suddenly said, a smirk on his face. "I'll give you ten bucks if you chat up the one in the white bikini."

_Ten bucks?! How did he get that money?_ But the more obvious reason I did it was because of my manly pride. Forget the 'poor kid' part. "You're on," I said without hesitation.

I ruffled up my hair and began walking in their general direction. I had sunglasses on, swimming shorts on, and as I approached them, I unbuttoned my button-down Hawaiian tee shirt. I tossed it behind me, leaving my windbreaker on, and heard snickers from Iggy and Gazzy.

I walked to the one on the left. "Hey," I said, matching her gait. "What brings a hot chick like you to CA?"

"What brings your ugly face to me?" she smoothly shot back, the two other girls laughing and making 'burn' noises. "Remind me to never come here again."

Well, well. Max told me she knew I could never flirt, but...

"Anyone tell you look pretty darn sexy in that bikini?" I nudged her. She edged away, arching her perfect eyebrows.

"What, if I don't wear this I don't?"

The girls laughed again.

"Yup," I snidely replied and the girl turned to me, furious. She crossed her arms and leaned forward.

"I don't know _who_ you are, but find other pretty girls to seduce. I know that's hard for a guy like you, but you can try."

I snickered. She was damn _good_. Almost as much as Max.

I leaned forward, and in a husky tone, said, "If I could see you naked, I'd give you anything."

"If I could see you naked, I'd die laughing," the hot girl snapped.

"Not bad, pretty lady. However, I do know how to please a woman."

"Then _please_ leave me the hell alone!"

The girl punched me, hard. I stumbled back a few paces. Damn she was strong!

I slashed at her, but she nimbly dodged and gave me a neat slice to my face, knocking my sunglasses off. I heard an audible gasp.

"WHAT THE FUCK, FANG?!"

The girl ripped off her own sunglasses, staring at me in horror, confusion, disgust, and something that looked like a little...

No time to think. Max was yelling every cussword she probably knew (which is a hell of a lot). How could I have been so stupid? Of course it was Max! With a lot more skin showing, obviously...

Iggy and Gazzy were cracking up. The girls next to Max were Ella and Nudge. Of course! It was all a set-me-up.

"I thought you were shopping!" I yelled over the confusion.

"I thought you were at the movies!" she yelled back.

Then her face contorted with anger again. "WHY THE HELL WERE YOU FREAKING _HITTING_ ON ME, FANG?!"

Ah, shit.

**Like it? Hate it? R&R!**


	2. Talking, my favorite thing in the world

**Wow, you guys really liked this *blushes*! Keep it up! This chapter is more serious, though...enjoy! And R&R. You know the drill.**

The rest of the day went downhill from there.

The flock crowded in the back seat of the van, whispering to each other with the occasional giggle. Ella and her mom sat in the front two seats, not saying anything, but I sensed their eyes on us and a slight smile on their faces.

But what really killed me was _Max_.

Not literally, though you should get my grave ready. What I mean is that she was staring out the window, her arms crossed across her chest...but I couldn't tell what she was thinking or feeling.

And you know how I _always_ know what she is thinking or feeling.

All I could detect from her was almost a...sadness? Longing? Pity? I had _no_ idea. But I didn't want to risk asking her (uh, she's _pissed_ at me? Duh?) or Angel, who would just laugh her head off.

When we finally got home, Max got out first and muttered something about taking a quick flight, and took off. I longed to follow her, but I kinda had a feeling that that wouldn't end quite so romantically (ah, Fang, you romantic sexist pig.)

The flock went to their bedrooms, and Ella went off to take a shower, and Dr. Martinez just kinda hung around, watching me slightly.

At last, I was so fed up with her hanging around with me in the living room, watching TV (Iggy was in the room we were sharing) that I turned to her to speak but she got there first.

"I know you probably don't want to talk."

I inclined my head. _Obviously?_

"But I want you to know that Max is _not_ angry with you."

I arched my eyebrows. "Uh huh..."

Dr. M sighed. "Okay, maybe a little. At first. And I admit it. It _was_ kinda funny, but I'm sure both of you were embarrassed beyond words."

_Exactly why I don't talk._

She continued. "But...Fang, I'm a vet, not a relationship expert. But I know that there's something going on between you and Max, and she was quite upset."

"But _why_?" I blurted out, sick of not knowing. "Why should she be so upset? Mad I can understand. But why _upset_?"

Dr. M gave me a gentle smile, and I knew why Max liked her mom so much. "You need to talk to her, Fang."

And then she stood up and walked away.

Why do the grown-ups in my life_ always_ talk in riddles?!

* * *

Max got back an hour or two later. I had kept her room's window open (she gets a room all to herself cause she's Dr. M's daughter) and she flew in, looking slightly surprised at me sitting there on her bed, holding a glass of Coke.

"Thanks," she said, chugging on her Coke, and I shrugged.

I refrained from asking her where she went, because I wanted to give her some privacy, but instead, I blurted out the next worst thing: "What's wrong?"

Max's face was confused, and then angry. "What do you _mean_, 'what's wrong'?"

Her voice had a dangerous edge to it and I sensed I was treading on thin ice. Max _never_, _ever_ liked to be asked, "What's wrong?"

I looked at her levelly. "You know what I'm talking about."

Something changed in Max's eyes and she sat down next to me. She looked at me, sighing. "I should be mad, shouldn't I."

"That's what she said," I joked, and we both laughed. It did little to ease up the growing tension of treading-on-Max's-personal-feelings.

Max looked at the opposite wall, brushing a strand of her brown hair away from her face. "Well, what can I say." She gave a nervous laugh. "Okay, I'll admit it—I was flattered when you were admiring me so much." I cursed inwardly. Iggy was _so_ going. "And when you were hitting on me, I wanted to kill you, but I still found it kinda cute."

I almost grinned, when the last thought processed. Whoa. Max found it _cute_?

"You _wha_?!"

Max gave a sheepish grin. "Yeah. Girly Max is overtaking me."

"Oh, no," I gave a mock gasp. "Clone Number Three has arrived." I put my hands on her shoulders and shook her. "Wake up, Max. Come back to Earth."

"Ha, ha," Max snorted sarcastically. "Anyways, so when I found out it was _you_, I was flattered and annoyed and angry and laughing my head off and a little sad."

I rolled my eyes. _Her_? Feeling _emotions_? Ha! Call Houston. The apocalypse is coming a bit early.

Wait, sad?

I had unknowingly said it out loud.

Max sipped her Coke. More than half of it was gone already, but she seemed lost in thought. She had been doing lots of thinking lately. I mean, for me, that's normal, cuz for such a quiet guy like me, I do lots of thinking. In fact, if all my thoughts were said out loud, 50% would be about how the flocks' life sucked, 25% would be so full of foul language and perverted stuff you'd scream, 10% would be about helping Max lead and stuff like that, 10% would be about random stuff like (oh, I'm hungry, or Nudge really smells bad—Angel, you better not tell her I said that), and 5% would be about Max.

"Well...you know...I..." Max's brown eyes were filled with something unidentifiable. "I...if you'd know it were me, would you have said those things?"

"No!" I said in horror. "Of course not! Because you're—"

"I'm just Max." Max's voice was now bitter. "I'm your best friend. And of course, you can't hit on your freaking _best friend_."

I closed my eyes. How to put this? What was a guy supposed to do in these situations? Go right ahead and say, _Oh, yes, Max, I love you more than you'll ever know, because you're acting weird and hormonal lately and not like yourself, and you'll probably kick my butt. _"No, it's just...well..."

Max punched me in the arm. "Nice pick-up lines, by the way."

I laughed. "Ig. I mean, come on...you dissed me so bad. I'll never live this down."

Max punched me again but we both laughed. "Just...don't...ever...do that again," Max managed. "I mean, hitting on _me_? Out of all people? Jeez. Igs said that you said I was a 'beach bunny'. What the hell are you guys _doing_ nowadays?!"

"Hey. We've got to keep our hormone levels healthy," I said.

Max made a face "Ew. With an _eight-year-old_ around?"

We laughed again, but Max's expression turned playful/serious. _Damn_. "So you _are_ admitting that I'm a beach bunny."

I cursed inwardly. "Uh..."

"Oh, come _on_, Fang," Max pleaded. "Here. Rate me out of ten, and then I'll tell you what I think you are out of ten. And no lying, or I'll consult my little mind-reader."

_Damn again_. _Fine. What does she think of me?_ Quickly, I blurted out, "Ten."

"Ten _what_?" _Damn you, Max._ She was purposely teasing me, leading me in.

"Ten out of ten. Okay, what am I?"

Maxes grin was blinding. "Not yet, hot shot. You have to _e-la-bo-rate_."

"Fine. You're pretty. Is that enough?"

Max shook her head, her eyes lit. "Keep on going..."

"You have really nice eyes," I said, hating this conversation. "And pretty hair. And you're just...well-proportioned." I bit my tongue. "Now _tell me_!"

"Someone's a bit desperate, don't you think?" Max lightly teased. I growled.

"Okay, fine. Between you and me, we have same taste," Max said, lowering her tone to a whisper.

"I'm a ten?"

Max looked straight at me. "No dip, Sherlock."

"Now _you_ have to tell me...you are _not_ going out!"

Max had sprinted to the door and was opening the handle, but I pulled her back onto the bed. "Not so fast, _hot shot_." I mimicked her voice, though not nearly as well as Gazzy. "You have to—what was it? _E-la-bo_—"

Max was suddenly on top of me, pinning me down, laughing. "Don't let this get to your already over-inflated head."

"Nah. I already know how much you worship me anyways."

Max whacked me on the arm. "I don't need to have Angel to know that you like me, Fang. That you _love _me...this much." She spread her arms wide, and I flushed.

"I do _not_—"

"But you think I have really nice eyes, and pretty hair, and that I'm...ooh...well-prop...ow!"

I had flipped us over so that I was on top, my face inches away from her own. Was it me, or was her heart beat accelerating...?

"Now, now, Maximum," I soothed. "Let's not be irrational."

Her body was shaking with suppressed laughter. "What do you want, _Fanglator_?"

"Tell me what you find so...appealing...about me?"

Max rolled her eyes. "Okay...well you have these really hot, dark eyes...and the way your hair falls into your eyes is kinda cute...and you're muscular."

"I have _hot_, _dark_ eyes?" I arched my eyebrows. Max was blushing furiously.

"Maybe."

"So what would you give to see my _hot_, _dark_ eyes up close?"

"Uh..."

I lowered my face even more. Her breath hitched.

"How about a kiss?" My voice was so soft she could barely hear it.

"Fang," Max warned, but my hands came around to her neck and before you knew it, we were kissing.

And this time, she didn't run away.

Somehow we were both lying sideways on the bed, and her arms were around me, and her eyes were closed, and she was kissing me fiercely, and her body was pressed against mine, and it was as though nothing could go wrong, and...

"Beautiful! That was a wrap," I heard applause from the doorway, and saw the entire flock, Ella, and Dr. M standing there, looking amused. Gazzy and Nudge had a tiny video camera in their hands which they had just taken from the door, which was open (oops...guess I didn't notice it during me and Max's make-out session...eh...).

"What the..." Max was about to cuss them out but refrained because of her mom.

"You were..." I was just as much as a loss of words.

"This is going on your blog, Fang!" Iggy cackled.

"IGGY!"

**Teehee...everybody beat up on the blind kid! R&R...and this may turn into a three-shot! :D**


	3. AN: NOT A NEW CHAPTER BUT PLEASE READ!

**To all my amazingly faithful readers—**

**First, sorry that this wasn't a third chapter...but I think that if I added another part to this, it'd be ruined. Plus, I like it where it is right now...I'll leave it to you to decide how Iggy gets tortured...*nudgenudgewinkwink***

**Secondly, thank you all **_**so**_** much! I was so surprised at the mass response to this one-shot, considering that I just wrote it kinda to entertain myself in the first place! I really like this story, however; it's my best 'humorous' work, with humor and Fax in it. **

**If you're new to this story, and you're reading this right now going, "AWWWWW", hey—don't flip. **_**Seeing Red**_**, another story of mine, is another kinda-funny FF, and Phoenix Fanatic is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G with her humorous FanFics (Diary of a Lovesick Mutant? LOLZ) so check em' out!**

**Again, thank you for reading & reviewing this FF, and don't forget to read my other FanFics. Oh, and please visit my website at www . bluejaygrl98 . weebly . com (eliminate the spaces), or just visit my profile to click on the link, and comment on my blog! **

**Kisses, feathers, and FF's,**

**--Bluejaygrl98**

**P.S. Please make my day (I've been having a bad week, so...) by reviewing this one last time! I'm aiming for twenty...for _now_. :D**


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